Wednesday 7 August 2013 07.50 EDT
First published on Wednesday 7 August 2013 07.50 EDT

Fulham have completed the loan signing of Adel Taarabt, with the manager Martin Jol finally landing a player he has admired since their time together at Tottenham.

Taarabt, 24, has signed a season-long loan agreement with Fulham following relegation with Queens Park Rangers.

Jol worked with the Morocco international when he was a young player at White Hart Lane and on the fringes of the first-team squad.

But since leaving Spurs, Jol was tempted to sign Taarabt during his spells in charge of both Hamburg and Ajax without a deal being struck, with the Dutchman enthusing about his latest signing following Monday night's friendly draw with Real Betis.

"I like his creativity," Jol said after confirming a loan move was nearing completion. "Sometimes it comes off when he scores a lot of goals and I think he was involved in 40 goals [during QPR's 2010-11 Championship promotion season].

"It is like [the Fulham striker] Dimitar Berbatov – sometimes these fantastic talents will be blamed, but I hope to find a way to gel him in together with the boys we've got.

"I think he can do a hell of a job for us because he is a tremendous player on the ball."

Taarabt told QPR officials earlier this summer of his wish to leave the club. "This was a difficult decision for me, but at this stage of my career I feel I need to be playing at the top level," he said.

"I hope the fans understand my decision and I really hope to return to Loftus Road one day.

"I wish QPR well for the season and hope they achieve promotion back to where I believe the club belongs."

Taarabt becomes Jol's sixth signing of the summer following permanent moves for the defenders Sascha Riether and Fernando Amorebieta, the goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, the midfielder Derek Boateng and the young forward Ange-Freddy Plumain.

There could yet be more activity before the start of the new season with the Aston Villa striker Darren Bent being linked with the club.